Method and apparatus for assembling refastenable absorbent garments

Abstract

A method for fabricating a refastenable absorbent garment includes moving a continuous body panel web in a machine direction and successively fixedly securing a plurality of discrete fastener pieces, spaced along the machine direction, to the body panel web. Each of the fastener pieces comprises a first and second end also spaced along the machine direction. The method further includes successively cutting said body panel web and each of the fastener pieces along a cross direction between the first and second ends of each of the fastener pieces and thereby forming a plurality of discrete body panels each comprising opposite side edges and a plurality of pairs of fastener members fixedly secured to one of the plurality of body panels and a next successive body panel.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for manufacturing a refastenable absorbent garment comprising: 
       moving a continuous body panel web in a machine direction;  
       successively fixedly securing a plurality of discrete fastener pieces to said body panel web, wherein said plurality of fastener pieces are spaced along said machine direction, and wherein each of said fastener pieces comprises a first and second end spaced along said machine direction; and  
       successively cutting said body panel web and each of said fastener pieces along a cross direction at a location between said first and second ends of each of said fastener pieces and thereby forming a plurality of discrete body panels each comprising opposite side edges and a plurality of pairs of fastener members, wherein said fastener members in each of said pairs of fastener members are fixedly secured to one of said plurality of said body panels and a next successive body panel and wherein each of said plurality of body panels forms part of and is associated with a corresponding individual refastenable absorbent garment.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein each of said plurality of fastener pieces comprises a refastenable portion formed proximate at least both of said first and second ends thereof. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  further comprising releasably engaging said body panel web with said refastenable portions of each of said plurality of said fastener pieces. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein said successively cutting said body panel web and each of said fastener pieces along said cross direction at said location between said first and second ends of said fastener pieces comprises successively cutting said body panel web at a plurality of first locations, and further comprising successively cutting said body panel web along said cross direction at plurality of second locations between each of said releasable engagements of said body panel web with said refastenable portions of said fastener pieces and each of said fixed securements of said body panel web with said fastener pieces. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  wherein said successively cutting said body panel web at said second locations comprises successively cutting said body panel web at said second locations prior to said fixedly securing said plurality of fastener pieces to said body panel web. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4  wherein said successive cutting of said body panel web at said second locations comprises successively perforating said body panel web at said second locations. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein said body panel web comprises a front body panel web. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of fastener pieces each comprise a carrier member supporting said refastenable portion. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  wherein at least a portion of said carrier member is elasticized. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8  wherein said each of said carrier members has a lateral width, and further comprising altering said width of said carrier members, wherein said carrier members comprise a first group of carrier members having a first width and a second group of carrier members having a second width, wherein said first width is greater than said second width. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 2  wherein said refastenable portion comprises a hook material. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 2  wherein said fastener pieces each comprise a first and second side, wherein said first side is fixedly secured to said body panel web and wherein said second side comprises said refastenable portion, wherein said refastenable portion faces away from said body panel web. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  wherein an entirety of said first side is fixedly secured to said body panel web. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 2  wherein said fastener pieces each comprise a first and second side, wherein said first side faces and comprises a portion that is fixedly secured to said body panel web and wherein said first side further comprises said refastenable portion. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1  wherein said body panel web comprises a front body panel web and further comprising moving a second body panel web in said machine direction. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1  wherein said body panel web comprises a front body panel web. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1  wherein said body panel web comprises a first body panel web and further comprising moving a second continuous body panel web and a plurality of discrete crotch portions in said machine direction, wherein said plurality of crotch portions are spaced along said machine direction and extend between said continuous first and second body panel webs. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17  further comprising folding said crotch portion, wherein said continuous first and second body panel webs face each other. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  further comprising successively attaching said first and second body panel webs at a plurality of cross direction attachment locations spaced along said machine direction and thereby forming a plurality of cross direction side seams spaced along said machine direction. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19  wherein said successively attaching said first and second body panel webs along said cross direction and said successively fixedly securing said plurality of fastener pieces to said first body panel web are performed simultaneously. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 19  wherein said successively cutting said body panel web and each of said fastener pieces along said cross direction comprises successively cutting said first and second body panel webs and each of said fastener pieces along said cross direction at said side seams. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 17  further comprising successively fixedly securing a plurality of discrete extension panels to said second body panel web at an attachment location, and successively cutting said second body panel web and said discrete extension panels along said cross direction at said attachment location and thereby forming a plurality of discrete second body panels each comprising opposite side edges and a plurality of extension members each secured to said second body panel along one of said opposite side edges. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 1  wherein said successively cutting said body panel web and each of said fastener pieces along said cross direction comprises making a serpentine cut along said cross direction. 
     
     
       24. A method for manufacturing a refastenable absorbent garment comprising: 
       moving a body panel web in a machine direction;  
       successively applying a plurality of discrete fastener pieces to said body panel web, wherein said fastener pieces are spaced along said machine direction, and wherein each of said plurality of fastener pieces comprises a first and second end spaced along said machine direction and a refastenable portion formed proximate at least both of said first and second ends;  
       releasably engaging said body panel web with said refastenable portions of each of said plurality of said discrete fastener pieces;  
       fixedly securing each of said plurality of said discrete fastener pieces to said body panel web at an attachment location between said refastenable portions formed proximate said at least both of said first and second ends; and  
       successively cutting said body panel web and each of said fastener pieces along a cross direction at said attachment location and thereby forming a plurality of discrete body panels each comprising opposite side edges and a plurality of pairs of fastener members each comprising a first end fixedly secured to one of said body panels adjacent one of said opposite side edges and a second end comprising said refastenable portion releasably engaged with said one of said discrete body panels inboard of said one of said opposite side edges.  
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24  further comprising successively perforating said body panel web along said cross direction at plurality of breakable locations between each of said releasable engagements of said body panel web with said refastenable portions of said fastener pieces and each of said attachment locations of said body panel web with said fastener pieces. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25  wherein said successively perforating said body panel web at said breakable locations comprises successively perforating said body panel web at said breakable locations prior to said fixedly securing said plurality of fastener pieces to said body panel web. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26  wherein said body panel web comprises a front body panel web. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 24  wherein said fastener pieces each comprise a carrier member supporting said refastenable portion. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28  wherein at least a portion of said carrier member is elasticized. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 28  wherein said each of said carrier members has a lateral width, and further comprising altering said width of said carrier members, wherein said carrier members comprise a first group of carrier members having a first width and a second group of carrier members having a second width, wherein said first width is greater than said second width. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 24  wherein said refastenable portion comprises a hook material. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 24  wherein said fastener pieces each comprise a first and second side, wherein said first side faces and comprises a portion that is fixedly secured to said body panel web and wherein said first side further comprises said refastenable portion. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 24  wherein said body panel web comprises a first body panel web and further comprising moving a second continuous body panel web and a plurality of discrete crotch portions spaced along said machine direction and extending between said continuous first and second body panel webs in said machine direction. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 33  further comprising folding said crotch portion, wherein said continuous first and second body panel webs face each other. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 34  wherein said attachment location is a first location and further comprising successively attaching said first and second body panel webs at a second cross direction attachment location and thereby forming a plurality of cross direction side seams spaced along said machine direction. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 35  wherein said successively attaching said first and second body panel webs at said second attachment location and said successively fixedly securing said plurality of fastener pieces to said first body panel web at said first attachment location are performed simulataneously, and wherein said first and second attachment locations are coextensive. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 35  wherein said successively cutting said first body panel web and each of said fastener pieces along said cross direction comprises successively cutting said first and second body panel webs and each of said fastener pieces along said cross direction at said side seams. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 33  wherein said attachment location is a first attachment location and further comprising successively fixedly securing a plurality of discrete extension panels to said second body panel web at a plurality of second attachment locations, and successively cutting said second body panel web and said discrete extension panels at said second attachment locations and thereby forming a plurality of discrete second body panels each comprising opposite side edges and a plurality of extension members each secured to said second body panel along one of said opposite side edges. 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 24  wherein said successively cutting said body panel web and each of said fastener pieces at said attachment location comprises making a serpentine cut along said cross direction.